A surprise of beautiful work

I went to a local art ‘n craft sale this weekend, and found some beautiful painting/collage work by an artist named Laurie Skantzos.

I also was quite taken with Rosa Murillo’s sirens, another artist who uses collage and painting (to mention just a few) techniques in her work. Rosa is into found art . . . an intriguing concept whereby “artists all over the world are contributing to leave art to be found by someone who just happened to stop and see it unexpectedly, and to make their day a little more inspired and cheerful.”

Then I found Sarah Winkler’s work. Here is painting/collage work to aspire to! As she says,

My paintings are fragments of past travels, current environment and related observations. I piece, paste and fuse together diverse imagery and text that tickles the imagination, stirs the senses, and evokes an air of mystery and illusion.

I made a Christmas present for a good friend of mine, using what I call painting/collage techniques. Wendi loves chocolate, dogs (especially her poodle Cocoa), eggs . . . and I will leave the rest for you to explore at her site! I know I will be creating many more of these mixed media collage paintings. It is a very freeing way to work! Here is my result:

Ancient Appetites

The Fever Still Has Me In Its Grip

I am still creating small quilts, with many more ideas in my head and no end in sight. The sober truth in the midst of all this exhilaration, however, is that I must actually complete one of these works. They need small sleeves, and custom hanging rods in order to allow display. That (sigh) is not nearly so much fun as creating the top.

Butterfly House
16″ x 8.5″

Witness
14″ x 8″

Dreaming in Technicolor
14″ x 4.75″

I’ve Resurfaced: 28 Small Quilts Later . . .

Wow! In my last blog entry I said I had been inspired to do some small works (well, smaller than my usual) and I’ve been doing that for about 6 weeks now! So here I am, coming up for air. Obviously, I am hard pressed to write and work at the same time! I get so INVOLVED that I literally do little else. But I must say that those who recommend creating a large number of small works as quickly as you can are on to something: you experiment and improvise so rapidly. None of these are completely finished–I still need to put on the sleeves and hanging rods. I may still add a few beads, buttons, and so on.

All the quilts I am presently designing and constructing are fabric and paper on a felt backing. I use images from my own paintings and photographs. I use both hand and machine stitching. I employ paint, gesso, and acrylic mediums on my own hand painted fabrics.

I am showing 4 of the 28 small quilts I have in various states of completion. All are basted together, but I never know what the muse will ask me to add or do next to complete a piece. I’m trying to stop composing more so I can finish them completely! The process is exhilarating!

Contemplation
19.5 ” x 8″

Madonna Moon
11.25″ x 5″

The Shine of Water
7″x 3″

Wings of Dawn
21.5″ x 9″